terms of attitudes. Demographic information may vary from the study’s diameter. To make a clear framework about attitudes, students were also asked to give information about their genders, their families’ income levels and whether they are taking supportive courses or not.
These aspects have been investigated and discussed respectively.
Firstly, the gender factor has been analysed by making a Mann-Whitney U test.
According to the frequencies, there were 105 males and 104 females in study. Results point out that there is no statistically significant difference between males and females concerning the positive attitudes towards English. However, p rate is nearly close to becoming significant (p= 0.50). For this reason, items were analysed one by one in order to make a clear comment.
7 items show significant values according to the results. In all of them, female students have higher mean ranks. Female students think that English is important since it will enable them to communicate with others more comfortably; furthermore, they want to have more friends who speak English. In Turkish society females are assumed as more talkative and more outgoing compared with males. Kocer (2012) states that females’ using social platform in Turkey is increasing day by day since the opportunities are developing. To draw a conclusion,
these factors might be having influence on females’ higher positive attitudes on some items.
On the other hand, data provided that females are more attentive when they don’t understand teacher’s instruction. It is generally thought that in Turkish society male are more hyperactive, and females are calmer. This result might come true in consequence of these perceptions.
Generally, this currently obtained data is congruent with some other studies on the literature. In Fakeye’s (2012) study which was conducted with 400 participants claimed that there weren’t any significant differences about gender and attitudes. Besides, in Bernat &
Lloyd’s (2007) study gender is a significant factor that affects the attitudes. Karahan (2007) also stated in her study which was conducted with 427 freshmen that there is not a significant difference between male and female in respect to the attitudes towards English. The current study has also shown some adverseness with some studies on literature. Kobayashi (2010) states that in high schools’ female students have superiority about attitudes towards English.
Ghazali (2016) found out that female students have more positive attitudes than males.
Gardner also states that even in 1970s female students had significant positive attitudes when it is compared with males (Gardner & Smythe, 1975; Burstall, 1975; Jones, 1950; Gagnon, 1974 cited in Gardner, 1985). Gömleksiz (2010) have also found out significant differences between attitudes gender in which females have more positive attitudes than males. In Genc &
Aydın’s (2017) females were also superior. Eventually, it can be said that when the general p rate is supposed to be the main consideration, there aren’t significant differences between genders; however, when the items’ p rates separately are considered to be the main factor, females are superior to males in terms of attitudes towards English. It can be concluded from the literature that there isn’t any generalization about relationship between attitude and gender. To make a clear-cut definition more researches need to be conducted in Turkey and all around the world and also sociological factors must be taken into consideration.
Under this headline, second demographic information which family income levels and its relation with attitudes towards English need to be discussed. On the questionnaire, students were asked about their families’ income levels. Three options were given to participants;
Lower than 1600, 1600-3000, More than 3000. These options were organized with regard to the Turkish economic status. In Turkey, subsistence level is about 2000 Turkish liras.
However, it is known that there are families who gain less than this amount. For this reason, an option “lower than 1600” was put into the questionnaire. On the other hand, civil service is a great build of employment rates in Turkey. Civil servants are taking more than 3000 Turkish liras fewest. That’s why third option “more than 3000 liras” was put on the questionnaire. To see the differences a Kruskall-Wallis Test was computed and mean ranks were calculated.
Results have presented that there isn’t significant difference in other words families’
economical condition and their attitudes towards English are not related (p= ,194; p> 0,050).
The study is not in line with the finding of Akram & Ghani (2013) who says that the relationship between socioeconomic status and individual differences such as attitude and motivation is strong evidence of language learning differences. When we look at the mean ranks students’ whose families’ income is higher than 3000 Turkish liras have mildly higher scores than others.
When the items were analysed one by one, three items showed a statistically
significant difference between income levels and attitudes towards English (Item 4, Item 13, Item 45). In all of these three items, students’ whose family income levels are higher than 3000 Turkish liras showed more mean ranks. From this point of view, it can be inferred that these students think that English is important since it will make them feel more comfortable with English speaking people, learning English is important because it makes them more educated and English is one of the best courses for them. Some interpretation can be carried through these results. It is clear families whose income levels are high will have more chances
to get personal development courses which require money such as language courses. Students with higher family income levels say that “learning English is important and it makes me more educated” and “English is one of best courses for me”. This might have resulted from their parent’ interest in language courses. Students might have generated perception such as learning English means becoming more educated due to their parent’s possibility to taka language course before. On the other hand, students with higher family income levels state that English brings comfort for them near the English-speaking people. Such a result may have arisen because students have understood the importance of their parents' communication with English speaking people because of their profession. It has been reported that there are not enough studies on literature which focuses on the family income levels and attitudes towards English. In order to make generalization such studies should be put in practice by considering different societies and different areas.
Thirdly, under this headline, supportive courses and their relation with students’
attitudes have been examined. In the Turkish educational system, state school have authority to open supportive and training courses up to 12 hours a week. This authority was given to school directorates by Ministry of Education and the first courses opened in 2015 / 2016 Academic Year. These courses are not compulsory, and students are not tested and scored at the end of the courses (Nargun & Dilekci, 2016). It is also possible that students may get tutors to develop their language skills.
For these reasons, current study asked whether participants take supporting courses or not. Three options were given to the students; 1) No, 2) Supporting and Training Courses Provided by School and 3) By Tutors. According to the frequencies, 132 participants are not taking any courses, 52 students are taken supportive, and training courses provided by school and 25 students are taking lessons from tutors. To see the difference among them, a Kruskall-Wallis Test was computed. Results indicated that there is meaningful difference between
attendance to supportive course and attitudes towards English. Students who are taking supportive and training courses provided by school have shown more positive attitudes. In the second place, students who are taking tutor course have belong more positive attitudes
towards English than the one who are not taking any courses apart from the normal school lessons.
Such a difference might have resulted from the students’ exposition to more English classes. Normally in upper elementary school students take English lessons 3-5 hours a week.
However, this number can be increased up to 17 hours a week. This might bring students to understand and develop their English further. As in results chapter stated, understanding and comprehension play a vital role in developing positive attitudes.
When the items were analysed one by one, it is seen that some of the items have no significant difference with attitudes (Items 7, 9, 11, 14, 26, and 35). According to these results, supportive courses do not affect students’ being nervous when they have to speak. In Turkish educational system, supportive and training courses and tutors are widely selected with purposes of raising school grade average. It is wide criticism that English tests do not appropriately measure students’ speaking skills. Accordingly, the lack of support and training courses focusing on speaking skills may have resulted in this outcome. This notion might be supported by Item 11 which says that students are not confident when they speak English in classroom and Item 26 which states that students feel nervous when others speak English in the classroom. To make effective interpretations, it is necessary to conduct researches in which the supporting and training courses are examined in detail.